Why IMT Nagpur Was Magical

 Can't put my finger on one thing, but I think the place had a vibe that was special. It included the people, and the way they interacted with each other. The students, the faculty, the staff, and also some of the inanimate objects. That may sound strange, but tangible inanimates do play a role in our lives. The grass, the trees, and the rocks. The design of some rooms, colour of the walls (Red Bricks in this case). 

Most of all, the people. Kirloskar Institute in Harihar (where I worked a few years before IMT) had this vibe too. In addition to a very tangible Golf course, but that's another matter.

The students had a mix of IQ and EQ that put them in a unique category, with a high total score. Other Qs too, perhaps. After all, we are multidimensional. So I would say that people brought their uniqueness to it,  being from different corners of the country. The faculty were actually global- many had studied or worked abroad.

Diversity makes a campus more vibrant, and we saw it in all IIMs I was at- to study or to work- 4 in all. We had it in good measure. I am still able to meet alums in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad if I visit these places- so many years after I stopped working at IMT. Many faculty have stayed for 15 years or more! Another sign of a good place!

The autonomy we enjoyed in running the place was also a contributing factor. Which meant student and faculty needs could be met without looking over our shoulder. 

Outing with IMT Alums

 Met two IMT alums for a fun evening. Abha and I have met a few times in Mumbai too. Ananya, I met a year ago at her place. This time, both made it to CP.

Above, we smile for the camera.. Ananya Nandi De and Abha Kulkarni.

Below, some fun with Ananya.

Below, where we met. Tonino Cafe.

Meetings of the Heart

 How do we meet people? Frequently, at college, school, workplaces, but increasingly, online too. Or we are introduced by someone. In my case, I have met people through my books also, because someone who has read them, will come up and say so.. 

After the initial meeting, though, it's up to both sides to decide if you want to continue to meet, just as in a dating situation. Therefore, the third or fourth meeting may decide if the silsila is likely to continue. I have been fortunate to have many friends acquired through all the above means, that have been wanting to meet up, and have, in many cases. Many are alumni of various B schools I have been at, Many are classmates, too. 

Shatakshi is one I have caught up with frequently, as she knew me from IIM I, but not directly, as I did not teach her. I have met her and Varun, her husband, several times now. We had a recent meeting just two days ago. Nishka Kumar I have met twice in the last 3 years. Abha Kulkarni is another ex-student I never taught, but have met a few times.. Sheetal Garg too (we share an interest in Hindi music). Tosha Dubey, Sirisha Adi, Khyati Jha, Anuj Mathew, Harshad Lunavat, Shruti Sharma, Aditya Naag, Nikita Kumar, Kanika Mhendiratta, Anshita Chetty, Gowri and Sreeram, Rupam Verma, Ishita and Anurag, Anusha M. and Aashish, Surbhi Mehta, Supriya Jain, Animesh Jain, Anant Ajmera, Divya Singh, Shraddha Nigdikar, Meghna Sinha, Meghana Joshi, Varun Somaiya, Garima Shah, Pragya Singh, Manjari, Ishan, Ankita, Keyur are some IMTians I have met on and off. Also Smita in Dubai, and Swapna and Vidya TC in Singapore a few years ago, all from KIAMS. Rajeev (and his wife Sangeeta) I got re-acquainted with recently. Shailaja Gupta has formed a regular group of IIM alums who meet up, and she also gently coerced me into doing a video on Personal Branding- I enjoyed it!

More recently, Pratima Gaikwad took me out in Hyderabad for a biryani- long live Pratima! And Anusha Soni took me out for some exotic stuff in my backyard, Pune- Prabhat Road. She will also live long! :) Anushka Mishra and Savitha are regulars in Bangalore, both from KIAMS. Also Jogeswari and Padmapriya in Hyderabad and Delhi. Nidhi Kanungo of course, visited me at Indore since she's an Indori. Met Bharath Shenoy, and Nagendra Shenoy from IFIM, once or twice at Bangalore also. And Chaithu too. Pooja Varun from PES, who is an agri-entrepreneur, a unique thing in itself. Played Golf with Vikram of IMTG recently at ASC Bangalore!

Also have been meeting a few of NMIMS Bangalore alums since I got here. Hope to meet a few more!

Met many of my ex-colleagues from PES, IFIM, VJIM, KIAMS, IMTN, IMTG, IIM I, IIML, and XIM over the years. Dhanapal and Vijayakumar I met recently at Coimbatore, and we also went Golfing earlier to hill stations in Tamilnadu. And classmates based here too, from the 1982-84 batch of IIMB. A couple of meetups with engineering classmates happened at Hyderabad, and a few schoolmates too, since last October! Played Golf with Venu from O.U. over the years, at Delhi and recently Hyderabad. Muthu from my company MBA, and I have played at KGA and ASC. 

Feels great to be in touch, and to be touched by so many nice people!

Reunion of IMT Nagpur

 Some of my fabulous friends are alumni of IMT Nagpur. It feels like family whenever we meet. So families have to have reunions, right? No occasion is needed, just wanting to meet each other. Here's one such.. Anshita, Abhishek with kids, Anurag and Ishita with kid, and the rest without kids.. Anusha and Aashish, plus Gowri and Sreeram made up the family. Great conversations about everything under the Sun including work, bringing up kids, pets, cars owned and leased, Swipe-cards and train engines, what engineers do, other alums, and Nithyananda, of course. Pics (candid and not)-